The Nikki Show
The Grade Two Nikki Show is only in its fourth incarnation but the rich $1,200,000 purse has attracted some stellar runners. Christchurch was the inaugural winner in 2009 and was followed by victors Blanc De Noirs (2010) and The Bodyguard (2011). Run over a mile and five eighths on a firm turf course, this year’s running has an interesting field of nine. Red Fog, an earner of more than six million dollars is the favorite but the filly Chronik has shown she can compete against the boys in big races. Let’s take a look at the field.
#1 Jack De Cot is a five year old son of Distorted Humor based on the e-grade Giant’s Causeway x Belong To Me horse John De. John De was a confirmed sprinter but his son has excelled at longer distances. Jack De Cot took home his first stakes win in his final start of last season by winning the mile and three quarter El Nino Rapido Turf Stayer with a 97sp. He started this year with a win in the two mile Act of God Dirt Stayer earning a 99sp. Most recently he was second in a two mile allowance.
#2 Curtainsforsirtin is a five year old scratch-bred son of Beat Hollow x Kris S. x Fappiano. He’s never run this far before but his last three starts have all come at a mile and one half. He was second in the Grade One Jockey’s Weapon in October, fifth in the Grade One King Kong Vase in December and second in the Surgeon Tubes Turf Endurance in January. He seems to run well with some spacing between his starts but distance will be the issue here.
#3 New Money is a six year old son of Mineshaft out of the f-grade Danehill x Fappiano mare Your Hill. New Money is one of three graded winners from ten foals for the mare and with almost five million dollars in the bank is the highest earner. The 2010 Grade One King Kong Vase winner took home three stakes trophies last year including Grade Three wins in the mile and one half Gary Trent and the mile and three quarter Irish Cup. New Money was given time off after an allowance win in November and returned to run fifth in an allowance at today’s distance over a good turf course.
#4 Vars is a four year old son of Tapit out of the c-grade Giant’s Causeway x Danzig mare Reina Jade. Reina Jade’s first foal Derhamm is running this week in the Sand Castle Fee Duty at a mile and one sixteenth. The graded wining millionaire is shortening up in distance, whereas little brother Vars is stretching out after running his last six starts between eleven and twelve furlongs. He won three stakes races during those six starts and hit the board in two others. The only time he’s run beyond a mile and one half was last September when he was fourth in the Grade Two Saint Legend Stakes at a mile and three quarters.
#5 Red Fog is a six year old son of Seeking the Gold out of the f-grade Theatrical x Danzig mare Theatrical Fog. Red Fog is her first of three foals and the only stakes runner among them. Red Fog scored the biggest victory of his career in the $4,000,000 Grade One Millwood Cup at two miles in 2010. He hasn’t returned to the winner’s circle since that start but he has hit the board in six graded races. That includes his most recent start, a second in the Grade Three Diamond Stakes at two miles where he earned a 114sp. Prior to that he was sixth behind Chronik in the Grade One Winter Cup at today’s distance.
#6 Stormhill Dancer is a four year old son of Danehill Dancer out of the g-grade Kingmambo x Storm Bird mare Storm Queen. From six foals Storm Queen has produced one graded winner and two additional stakes winners of which Stormhill Dancer is the youngest. Red Fog and Stormhill Dancer tie with the highest last out sps of 114 for this field. Stormhill Dancer’s was earned in the mile and seven sixteenths Lainey’s Quill Turf Stayer. It was his fourth win in a row and the first stakes race of his career. He does have a victory in a mile and five eighths allowance to his credit.
#7 Durch Den Monsun is a five year old son of Monsun out of the g-grade Street Cry x Sadler’s Wells mare Pole Dancing. This is her first foal and only stakes runner. Durch Den Monsun has been claimed twice in his career, once for $150,000 and then for $100,000. He enters on a two race win streak. He took a mile and three quarter allowance by four easy lengths in January with a 100sp and the Goldquester Turf Endurance at the same distance by 5 ¼ lengths with a 102sp in February.
#8 Nicene Creed is a six year old scratch-bred son of Montjeu x Blushing Groom x Nijinsky II. He has won four of his last five starts, all at today’s distance. All of those victories came in allowance races, Nicene Creed is seeking his first stakes victory. He does have two graded placings to his credit although both came in 2010.
#9 Chronik is a four year old scratch-bred daughter of Cape Cross x Kingmambo x A.P. Indy. Chronik blossomed into a very strong competitor last fall. After finishing fifth in the Congie Devito Breeders’ Bowl F&M Turf she was a strong fourth against males in the Grade One Japan Classic. She turned the tables on the boys by winning the mile and five eighths Grade One Winter Cup in December. She was given a couple of months off and returned in February trying a two miles for the first time in the Grade Three Diamond Stakes but she came up wanting finishing a disappointing tenth. Her last three starts have all come here in Japan where she also finished second in last year’s Grade One Japanese Oaks.
Good luck to all!